Although my T's retirement kind of made the decision for me, I did take an extended break at one point. But it was because I felt stuck and the resulting anxiety from being stuck was becoming its own problem. The break and returning allowed that anxiety to somehow dissipate. But what really made the difference for me was the realization that there wasn't a clear defining line between "I'm a mess and my life is unworkable" and "I'm all fixed and my life can begin." Life, including therapy, happens in the space between those extremes--and that's OK.